Improvement in apparatus for filling medicinal capsules



v ties from the vessel containing the medicine,

" table or oth er suitable support for myimproved UNITED STATES VICTOR E. MAUGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MARY PATENT OFFICE.

OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR FILLING MEDICINAL CAPSULES.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 219,285, dated September 2, 1879 application led May 26, 1879. I

To all whom 'it may concern.:

ABe it known that I, VICTOR E. MAUGER, of New lYork city, county and State of Newl York, have invented an Improved Apparatus for Filling Medicinal Capsules, of which the following is a specilication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top View of my improved apparatus for lling medicinal capsules; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line c c, Fig. l 5 and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line lc 7c, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to an improved appa ratus for llin g liquid medicines into capsules, and has for its object, principally, to prevent any sediments in the medicine from entering the capsules or clogging the iilling-pipes.

The invention consists in the combination of a vertically-sliding vessel, which contains the liquid medicine, with a stationary plunger projecting into the upper portion of said vessel, and with xed filling-tubes, which passt with their lower ends through the plunger into the upper part of the vessel, and are open at both ends, so that the contents of said tubes will be moved in opposite directions, and follow both movements of the sliding vessel.

The invention also consists in improved means for drawing the sediment-s and impuriand in other details of improvement herein? after more fully pointed out.

In the drawings, the letter A represents a apparatus. From the surface of this table project three (more or less) vertical guide-rods, a a, which are, with their lower ends, rigidly secured to the table.

b is a vessel, made of metal or other proper material, of preferably cylindrical or oval form, and entirely open on top. This vessel is free to slide up and down between the guide-rods a, it being provid-ed with a laterally-projecting ilange, d, which is perforated to allow the guide-rods a to pass through the same. The guide-rods a have, or may have, shoulders,

upon `which the iiange d rests when the vessel To the upper ends of the rods ais rigidly secured a cup-shaped or solid plunger, e, which is shaped to lit with exactness into or over the vessel b. This plunger c is secured to the rods a by a laterally-projecting flange, f, which is perforated to receive the upper screw-threaded ends of the rods a, the llange being held in place between two nuts, g g, which are screwed upon each rod a;` but the plunger e may be fastened to the rods a or to any other suitable support in different manner. e is of such size that it fits closelyinto or over the vessel b. When the vessel b is in its lowest position the plunger merely enters its upper part; but when the vessel is in its uppermost position it is almost completely filled by the plunger. I v

h It h are a series of lling-tubes, secured with their lower ends in the plunger e, and open to communicate with the upper portion of the vessel b. The tubes It project upward from the plunger. These tubes are preferably placed in a straight row, diametrical ,with the plunger. The pipes la are firmly braced by cross-barst' and abrac'e,j, or otherwise to beper.- fectly rigid, and are bent down at theirupper open ends. Z Z are charging-tubes, which are likewise secured to the plunger e, and communicate with the upper portion of the vessel b. Each charging-tube l is closed by a cock or cap when the apparatus is beingused. At the bottom the vessel b is provided with one or two grooves or depressions, m m, which are preferably situated directly beneathjhe pipes h. These grooves may have inclined bottoms, and increase in depth gradually from At the lowest portion each groove m has an' opening, which may be closed by a screw-plug, n. The vessel b is Vsupported on, and may be raised or lowered by, a screw, o, or by other suitable means.

The vessel b, being drawn down, is charged through the tubes Zwith the medicine which is to be introduced into the capsules. The capsules are held against or placed upon the upper ends of the tubes L. The vessel b is now gradually and gently raised by the screw o, thereby expelling the liquid contents through the tubes I) is in its lowest position.

h into the capsules. It' the capsules should be A. MAUGER,

The plunger the center of the vessel b toward its periphery. I

accidentally over-filled, or whenever they are properly filled, the vessel bis slightly lowered, suckin g thereby all superfluous medicine outot' the upper part ofthe tubes h. After one set of capsules is filled they are removed, another setof empty capsules held to the tubes h, and so on until the liquid in the vessel bis eX- hausted. The vessel is now lowered, refilled, and the operation goes on as before.

It will be seen that the tubes h will always be filled from the surface of the medicine in the vessel b, where said mcdicineis the purest. The heavier sediments and impurities of the medicine will settle lat the bottom, and, if grooves m are provided, in said grooves m, whence they can be withdrawn by tirst removing the screw-plugs a.

I claim- 1. The combination of the sliding vessel 'b with the stationary plunger c, tting into or over said vessel, and with the stationary [illing-tubes h, that project from the top of the plunger and are open at both ends, so that the contents of said tubes will be moved in opposite directions and follow both movements ot the vessel b, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the guide-rods al with the vesse I) and plunger e and with the tubes h and Z, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the sliding vessel I1 

